The Mystery of Grace
What in the world is God's grace? Does it mean that God helps those that help themselves? Is it some sort of appropriate balance between our own work ethic, and a push from the stars to get us beyond what we can do after we work really hard? Is God's grace such that we don't have to do anything, and God just feeds and clothes us? Does God's grace mean we can just sit still and He moves on our behalf?
There are few real people left on planet earth. The ones that want to "keep it real" end up being too liberal or too stupid. The ones that try so hard to do correct on their own merit end up being too conservative or too stupid. I talk with people every single day, and they are balls of contradictions. There are so many holes in everything they say. They allow emotion to dictate everything they do. They cannot stand the test of reality...
And in the midst of their utter confusion, God still works in their life. To be honest, if I was God, I wouldn't associate with such fickle people. I wouldn't use us. I would use the people He probably created in other dimesions, and in other worlds. It would be a terrible thing if there were worse people on other planets than on Earth. He must have alot of cleaning up to do.
The graciousness of God. The grace of God never seems to do an inventory before it applies itself on a soul. The grace of God never has a good and bad list like Santa Clause. My limited understanding of such grace is that a killer, murderer, sex-addict, molester, rapist, thief, adulterer all have access to grace. In the end, the saint, prodigy, genius, talented artist, world-renowned physicist, pastor, athletic phenom - they are all the same as the group mentioned before.
Such radical grace - such boundary crushing grace - such overflowing of love - such intimidating and infringing grace - such offensive grace. The more we want to deserve grace, the more we run far away from it. Most of us know exactly where the water is - except we would rather jump through hurdles and fight dragons to get the water so we feel better about getting the water. What is it about us that wants to earn what we get for free? I hear people justify to me how much they have gone through to get what they have. I am no stranger to this flaw, as I do it myself. There is alot of good in this - the fight is a pre-requisite to greatness. It really and truly is, but I am forced to believe that there is something more.
My opinions may change, and my journey with the Creator can take me somewhere else in my searching - but today, I will say the following:
Grace is best experienced when you are changed beyond your best effort. In some ways, you don't do a thing, and everything happens from the other side. It is when you are sitting and have no food, and a bird brings you food from the sky. It is when you are sick with cancer, and the doctor tells you there is nothing you can do about it, and then a few months later the cancer disappears. Grace is when you can't take the slightest credit for anything - and not in a false humility type of way - but in a way that makes you cry on your knees everytime you think about it. Friends, I want this for you. I want this so desperately for you. I want to see if this works for you. I want to see you experience Grace - so that you become a species rare, endangered and reborn.
See you Sunday, December 19th at 10AM - You won't ever be the same. Peace, and much love to you - John Baptist!
There are few real people left on planet earth. The ones that want to "keep it real" end up being too liberal or too stupid. The ones that try so hard to do correct on their own merit end up being too conservative or too stupid. I talk with people every single day, and they are balls of contradictions. There are so many holes in everything they say. They allow emotion to dictate everything they do. They cannot stand the test of reality...
And in the midst of their utter confusion, God still works in their life. To be honest, if I was God, I wouldn't associate with such fickle people. I wouldn't use us. I would use the people He probably created in other dimesions, and in other worlds. It would be a terrible thing if there were worse people on other planets than on Earth. He must have alot of cleaning up to do.
The graciousness of God. The grace of God never seems to do an inventory before it applies itself on a soul. The grace of God never has a good and bad list like Santa Clause. My limited understanding of such grace is that a killer, murderer, sex-addict, molester, rapist, thief, adulterer all have access to grace. In the end, the saint, prodigy, genius, talented artist, world-renowned physicist, pastor, athletic phenom - they are all the same as the group mentioned before.
Such radical grace - such boundary crushing grace - such overflowing of love - such intimidating and infringing grace - such offensive grace. The more we want to deserve grace, the more we run far away from it. Most of us know exactly where the water is - except we would rather jump through hurdles and fight dragons to get the water so we feel better about getting the water. What is it about us that wants to earn what we get for free? I hear people justify to me how much they have gone through to get what they have. I am no stranger to this flaw, as I do it myself. There is alot of good in this - the fight is a pre-requisite to greatness. It really and truly is, but I am forced to believe that there is something more.
My opinions may change, and my journey with the Creator can take me somewhere else in my searching - but today, I will say the following:
Grace is best experienced when you are changed beyond your best effort. In some ways, you don't do a thing, and everything happens from the other side. It is when you are sitting and have no food, and a bird brings you food from the sky. It is when you are sick with cancer, and the doctor tells you there is nothing you can do about it, and then a few months later the cancer disappears. Grace is when you can't take the slightest credit for anything - and not in a false humility type of way - but in a way that makes you cry on your knees everytime you think about it. Friends, I want this for you. I want this so desperately for you. I want to see if this works for you. I want to see you experience Grace - so that you become a species rare, endangered and reborn.
See you Sunday, December 19th at 10AM - You won't ever be the same. Peace, and much love to you - John Baptist!
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